Floating Weir Oil Skimmer

Industrial grade floating surface skimmer and decanter.

The Floating Weir Skimmer (FWS) is a simple well-proven industrial oil skimmer or surface decanter that works with any pump that can pull suction. The FWS is automatically self adjusting and flow controlled, meaning that by controlling your pump’s flow rate, you can adjust the skim or cut coming off the surface, from 1/8" to over 1-1/4" automatically. The FWS never needs manual adjustment- EVER !

Best of all there is only one moving part the hinged weir and that weir movement is powered by the movement of the liquid being pumped or gravity drained from it's sump. It starts removing water and whatever is floating on it, from the top down. The FWS never EVER needs manual adjustments.

​​Along with oil, the floating weir skimmers (FWS) is used for skimming or decanting floating ash, plastic pellets, parts and scraps, scum, floc, duck weed, algae and water meal from water impoundments, pits, tanks, pools, evaporation ponds, lakes, rivers and even moon pools on oil rigs. The floating weir skimmer / decanter self adjusts instantly and automatically to pump flow rate and any wave action. Works great with any vacuum truck!

This non-selective floating weir skimmer creates a floating waterfall in the water. Everything flow-able on the surface near it, is attracted by the waterfall flow across the weir and flows or drops into the sump and then needs to be pumped out by an external pump (by others). These are deadly effective as long as you can handle the water that actually carries the oil and floating stuff to it. Used properly it can influence (skim) a large area--fast. Works great with a vac-truck and makes it much more effective. With a control wand or by using guide ropes tied to the handles, you can move it across the surface right to the oil or other floating stuff you want to remove. It acts almost like an upside down vacuum cleaner head. Control your pumps flow rate and the FWS is automatically self adjusting. ! Want to take 1/8" off the top? No problemo! Can do. Need more off the top ? Simply pump faster.

Which one do I need? With 8 different standard sizes we can help you get the right skimmer for your specific job. It's important to NOT size the FWS based simply on flow rate or range. Let's size it for exactly what you're looking to get done and the surface area you want to influence. We've been doing this for 20 years……...We can help. Let's get it right….ask!

Floating Flow Control Weir SkimmerThis skimmer starts off with the sump filled with water and/or oil, which floats the weir to the closed position. As fluid is pumped from the skimmer sump, the buoyant flow control weir, automatically self adjusts (drops) allowing an equal amount to flow across the weir and into the floating skimmer head. It’s so simple yet very effective. It always skims the surface, always! Works with any pump that can pull suction.

All FWS have rear (horizontal) male camlock couplers, but our FWS00A34 and FWS00A381 ABS skimmers also have a top (vertical) 1.5" outlet that makes skimming easier when working the skimmer from above. The optional controller package (extension pole set) with suction wand hooks right to the top outlet and let's you move the FWS right into the oil with the extension. The controller package hooks right to your pump suction and the suction valve is in your hands.

Sometimes the hardest part of skimming , especially in closed top tanks is getting the skimmer to follow the vertical travel that changing water levels present. Our floating weir skimmers are great inside closed tanks simply because they have only one moving part-the hinged weir. We like simple. Hose deployments work GREAT in most but not all applications. The problem is that the weight of the hose can weight down the back of skimmer. On some jobs we put a tailpipe (stinger) on the skimmer with back floats to provide a bigger footprint for stability. If you have a lot of hose hanging on the back of the FWS----you have to counteract that weight with more flotation. We can help with special back and hose floats. Sometimes there is not room for the hose length that's required to accommodate that travel and sometimes there just to much other stuff (pipes, mixers etc.) in the tank, that the hose can get caught up in. ENTER: THE SWINGARM SYSTEM

The Swingarm System is a hard piped skimmer drain system to replace hoses. The Swingarm can have swivels on it to allow the skimmer to follow the water level and keep it in the desired position. The Swingarms do of course cost more, but if you need reliability and an almost bullet proof installation, this is the way to go. If you are going to be skimming in a closed top tank we always prefer the Swingarm if there is vertical travel to follow. It's almost Bubba Proof and drop dead reliable. Here are pics of a few Swingarm installations----you can see here that some of the Swingarm systems can actually unfold inside the tank-where we have a lot of travel involved.

​We build systems to specifically address your problem through the use of our specialty, existing, unique and innovative industrial technologies or equipment that can be used off the shelf or modified, configured or otherwise packaged, to fit your specific needs. Give SkimOIL a call and let us build a system for your application! (Pictured Below: FWS00A381 X 3 with a custom made 8" manifold to achieve a 900GPM flow rate for dewatering an ash pond.)

​Duck weed or water meal can be removed with the Floating Weir Skimmer (FWS) which is a floating surface skimmer. If it floats freely and can move across the surface on a flow of water, the FWS is a great tool for water meal and duck weed removal. Pumping water from the FWS sump creates an equal flow into the skimmer mouth or waterfall / weir of the skimmer and into the sump. This skim or waterfall of fluid entering the skimmer carries loose floating materials (duckweed) or algae or weed into the skimmer.

​We find the largest skimmers (Model #FWS00A381 pictured left) are most effective since they have a 23” wide weir which acts as a mouth to open and allow the flow of water and duckweed into it. Big mouths can take big bites!